Real Madrid keeps La Liga in sight with win over Sevilla

Real Madrid kept their La Liga title campaign alive with a strong home win over Sevilla.

Real took the lead with a controversial free-kick from Nacho as he seized the initiative and struck the ball into an unguarded net while the Sevilla defenders were still remonstrating.

Cristiano Ronaldo then scored a brace to essentially put the game out of contention — first with a tap-in from six yards and then a strike from a tricky angle just inside the box.

Although Stevan Jovetic managed to pull one back for Sevilla in between Ronaldo’s goals with a spectacular finish, the Montenegrin was not as clinical with several other chances, allowing Real to round off the comfortable win with a late goal.

Defending champions FC Barcelona, who defeated Las Palmas on a same exact scoreline with Real, keep hold of the top spot in La Liga courtesy of their head-to-head advantage, but Real have a game in hand and need four points from their final two matches to lift their first title since 2012.

As for Sevilla, Jorge Sampaoli and his team are guaranteed the fourth spot and a playoff spot in the Champions League after fifth-placed Villarreal drew 0-0 at home to Deportivo La Coruna, who clinched survival.